Junior Bullets engineers 2-0 win over Marsiling Secondary

12th Feb 2015

It was Bowen Secondary School's first win over perennial nemesis Marsiling Secondary School in the Inter-Schools Football Competition this afternoon but the taste of victory was never sweeter.

Starting line-up for the Bowen Bullets

The junior Bullets put up a sterling performance in front of their home supporters to gain their first win over Marsiling Sec in five meetings between the two schools. Centre-back Muhd Tahalif and striker Muhd Zamani scored a goal each on either half to enhance Bowen's hopes of topping the group.

There was nothing to choose between the two teams in the first 10 minutes of the match but the Bowen Bullets slowly but surely gained the upper hand and enjoyed better possession as the match wore on. The competitiveness got the better of Bullets defensive midfielder R Sharveen in the 21st minute when he was shown a yellow card for charging recklessly into an opponent.

Marsiling goalkeeper keeping out a Bullets attempt at goal



The caution seemed to push the Bullets into a higher gear as they pressed most of the play into Marsiling's half. From a throw-in which was launched over the Marsiling backline playing very high up the field, Muhd Tahalif ghosted into the penalty box unmarked to guide the ball into an empty net.


Bullets midfielder Muhd Fareez winning an aerial duel



The 2nd half saw a more determined Marsiling side attempting to take control of the midfield but their attacks were effectively blunted by a well-marshalled defence lead by Tahalif and Harith Aniq. While the Bullets were soaking up the pressure, striker Zamani was tormenting the Marsiling defence every time the ball was in the Marsiling defensive third. His hard running finally bore fruit five minutes from the end when he pickpocketed the ball from a defender and drove down the left to steer the ball past the Marsiling goalkeeper at the near post.

Bullets getting ready to defend a free-kick







The victory has cemented the Bullets' place as one of the favourites for a quarter-final place but they have to keep their feet firmly on the ground and not get carried away. There are two more tricky games against surprise package North Vista Secondary and 2014 4th-placed team Sembawang Secondary to come.

 

The Bullets surviving a late wave of attacks from Marsiling Sec



Bowen	2 - 0	Marsiling
Goals Scored (Bowen only)
Muhd Tahalif 25’ Muhd Zamani 55’
Substitutions
Muhd Yusri for Muhd Shafiq 45’ Muhd Aniq for Noor Rifat  50’ Elhan Akmal for Muhd Zamani 58’